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Obama: U.S. ready to offer assistance in crash investigation

President Barack Obama said the U.S. ready to help investigate the crash of the Malaysian Airlines jet in eastern Ukraine. Nathan Frandino reports.

TRANSCRIPT +

News of the downed Malaysian Airlines plane is spreading fast.
As investigators arrive at the crash scene in eastern Ukraine, U.S. President Barack Obama relays the news to an audience in Delaware.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA SAYING:
"It looks like it may be a terrible tragedy."
Dozens of bodies were scattered around the jet's smoldering wreckage, which was spread across an area up to about 15 kilometers in diameter.
Ukrainian officials have blamed terrorists using a ground-to-air missile.
Rebels have denied shooting the plane down.
Obama said they are in contact with Ukrainian officials.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA SAYING:
"The United States will offer any assistance we can to help determine what happened and why."
A Ukrainian official said all 295 people aboard the plane were killed.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA SAYING:
"Our thoughts and prayers are with all the families of the passengers wherever they call home."
Details are still emerging about the crash.

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